Chapter 57: You Have Lost

"Such incredible speed!"

Amidst the exclamations of the outer disciples, Peng Lei rushed forward until he was less than a foot away from Qin Lang. Bending his entire body backward into the shape of a bow, he gathered all his strength into his right fist and unleashed it in a fierce explosion, hurtling toward Qin Lang like a cannonball!

Qin Lang seemed completely unable to react, standing frozen in place as he let Peng Lei's heavy fist strike him square on!

"He didn't dodge!"

"No way? Not even a slight reaction? This Qin Lang is way too weak!"

Seeing Peng Lei hit Qin Lang with a single punch, as if the challenge would end right then and there, the outer disciples shook their heads one after another. Li Dongsheng wore a look of utter bewilderment; according to reason, a disciple personally brought in by Deacon Tian Yuan shouldn't be defeated so easily!

"An afterimage!"

Xu Hao's gaze narrowed as he spoke in a deep voice.

Ruan Hongran's lovely eyes lit up as she likewise realized that the figure struck by Peng Lei was merely a lingering afterimage left behind by Qin Lang's movement!

"His speed is actually faster than mine!"

Having thrown a fully powered punch into empty air, Peng Lei's expression shifted drastically. Sensing danger, he suddenly heard a cold voice ring out from behind him:

"You threw a punch at me, so I'll return the favor with a palm strike!"

Eightfold Surge!

Qin Lang lashed out with a single palm, rich spiritual energy surging within his palm like ten thousand rolling ocean waves, layer upon successive layer, surging endlessly toward Peng Lei!

"Ah!"

Gasping cries erupted in a chorus from the surrounding outer disciples!

Qin Lang's speed was so great that none of them had even seen how he appeared behind Peng Lei!

"This palm strike is terrifyingly strong!"

As Qin Lang struck, Peng Lei felt a towering wave of pressure wash over him. He felt like a tiny boat on a vast, boundless ocean, on the verge of capsizing at any moment!

Gritting his teeth fiercely, Peng Lei whirled around, forming his fingers into a blade-like hand and bringing it down in a fierce, downward chop. Concentrated spiritual energy condensed into a razor-sharp blade aura, unstoppable and capable of cleaving everything in its path!

"Air-Splitting Palm!"

"Bang!"

Qin Lang and Peng Lei collided fiercely palm to palm. A tremendous roar echoed from the center of their impact, spiritual energy churning and raging wildly. Countless sharp gusts of wind scattered in all directions, and the outer disciples standing closest felt as though their faces were being sliced by knives, their bodies involuntarily swaying from the shockwave!

"Thud, thud, thud!"

Qin Lang retreated three steps before steadying his stance!

Meanwhile, his opponent Peng Lei stood frozen in place without moving an inch!

"It looks like Senior Brother Peng Lei has the upper hand!"

Seeing the reactions of Qin Lang and Peng Lei, some newly inducted outer disciples muttered excitedly.

"It seems the outcome of this challenge has been decided!"

A faint smile appeared on Xu Hao's face as he slowly spoke.

"Indeed! The outcome of this challenge has been decided, but I'm afraid the result isn't what you hoped for, Senior Brother Xu Hao!"

Ruan Hongran giggled, a triumphant look on her face. Pouting her seductive lips, she motioned for Xu Hao to observe Peng Lei's reaction closely.

"Oh?"

Xu Hao frowned slightly, casting his gaze upon Peng Lei.

He saw that Peng Lei was standing rigidly in place, completely motionless, his face deathly pale as if he were struggling desperately to suppress something.

"Blech!"

The next moment, under the astonished gazes of everyone present, Peng Lei suddenly opened his mouth and spewed out a large mouthful of fresh blood. He staggered back a few steps, his face turning even paler, his eyes filled with lingering unwillingness and disbelief as he stared at Qin Lang across from him!

"He is merely at the second stage of Body Tempering, yet his spiritual energy is actually thicker and purer than mine!"

The eight inner forces Qin Lang had driven into his body were incomparably pure. No matter what tricks Peng Lei tried, he could not neutralize them. The inner forces exploded with a destructive momentum, rampaging through his body and severely injuring his internal organs!

"How can this be?!"

Xu Hao wore the expression of someone who had just seen a ghost. Peng Lei possessed the strength of the third stage of Body Tempering, yet even when employing the Air-Splitting Palm in a direct head-on collision, he was still no match for Qin Lang!

Recalling his earlier prediction that Peng Lei would win, Xu Hao instantly felt a burning sensation across his face.

"You lost."

Qin Lang looked calmly at Peng Lei, his expression entirely unperturbed.

A wave of helplessness and despair surged in his heart. Peng Lei had never expected that even after unleashing his strongest Air-Splitting Palm, he would still be defeated by Qin Lang in a single move!

Qin Lang's combat prowess was simply too terrifying!

"I concede defeat!"

To lose to such a monstrous talent like Qin Lang was something Peng Lei accepted wholeheartedly. He tossed his disciple token to Qin Lang and watched as the two hundred contribution points were deducted from it.

"What is going on? The challenge ended just like that?"

"He defeated Peng Lei, who was a full realm higher than him, in a single move!"

"A complete victory through leapfrog combat!"

The surrounding outer disciples widened their eyes in unison, their faces filled with astonishment, surprise, and shock!

Everyone understood that after this battle, likely no one in the outer sect would ever doubt Qin Lang's talent and terrifying combat strength again!

Qin Jian and Qin Yue exchanged smiles. Whether it was in Qingfeng Town or here in the genius-crowded Wind and Cloud Sect, Qin Lang's performance always brought pleasant surprises.

"Young Master!"

Yuner's lovely eyes were filled with admiration and joy as she gazed fixedly at the handsome youth before her. She knew that the reason her young master had so decisively and cleanly beaten down the previous outer disciple and instantly defeated Peng Lei was largely to vent her anger, standing up for her after those youths had made things difficult for her just now!

"Senior Brother Xu Hao, the challenge is over. Shouldn't you honor our previous wager now?"

Ruan Hongran smiled brightly as she looked at Xu Hao, lightly licking her red lips with the tip of her tongue in a provocative and alluring gesture that caused the surrounding outer disciples to swallow hard.

"A bet is a bet!"

Smiling and shaking his head, Xu Hao maintained his cultured and composed demeanor as he casually transferred ten thousand contribution points to Ruan Hongran. However, as his gaze swept seemingly carelessly past Qin Lang, a trace of imperceptible gloom flashed deep within his eyes.

"Senior Sister, regarding my half of the contribution points, do you think..."

Seeing Ruan Hongran receive her points, Qin Lang stared unblinkingly at her disciple token. That was a full five thousand points! Who knew how many Origin Condensation Pills those could exchange for!

"Tch—"

Qin Lang's words instantly drew a chorus of boos from the surrounding outer disciples. This brat lacked any sense of chivalry whatsoever, actually taking the initiative to ask a girl for contribution points. True enough, he was still far too young to understand how to seize the opportunity to win a girl's favor.

Qin Lang shrugged indifferently.

Right now, what he needed most was to exchange contribution points for a sufficient amount of cultivation resources, placing the enhancement of his strength as his top priority!

As for winning Ruan Hongran's favor? He truly had no such thoughts!

Without sufficient strength, one could hardly protect oneself, let alone enjoy the company of a beauty.

"Haha, why are you even more money-obsessed than me?"

Ruan Hongran rolled her eyes playfully and giggled. Qin Lang's straightforward and unpretentious personality very much suited her tastes; at least it was far more genuine than Xu Hao, who always put on a facade of refined magnanimity!

With a wave of her slender hand, she transferred five thousand points to Qin Lang. Ruan Hongran's eyes then shifted past Qin Lang to land on Yuner behind him, and a look of brilliant appreciation immediately flashed across her face:

"My my, Junior Brother Qin Lang, you really know how to keep a beauty hidden away! To think you managed to charm such a delicate little beauty and bring her along to our Wind and Cloud Sect. Is this your 'loli-raising project'?"

Although Yuner was not yet thirteen years old, her height was already nearly equal to Ruan Hongran's. Dressed in white with exquisite and flawless facial features, her entire being possessed an ethereal quality, making her look like a fairy descended to the mortal realm.

As far as Ruan Hongran was concerned, the only minor flaw was that her chest was a bit too small, still waiting to be developed and cultivated.